Abstract: A microwave oven having griddle and convection cooking capabilities. A microwave oven cooking cavity has an aluminum bottom with a Calrod heating element coupled thereto. Convection heating is provided by routing air, introduced into the oven to cool electronics including the magnetron, between the cooking cavity and the outer housing of the oven. In this way, such air flow cools the outer housing of the oven. The air flows under the griddle and through a plenum adjacent to the heating element in order to further heat the air. The heated air is then directed into the cooking cavity to provide convection cooking. From the cavity, the air is exhausted from the oven through apertures disposed in the door adjacent to a choke seal.

Abstract: A sonic grade control device for maintaining a leveling instrument of a paver at a constant distance from a datum. The device transmits and receives a sonic signal to provide first and second time periods corresponding to the round trip travel time of a sonic signal to the datum and a target, respectively. A distance indicating signal, corresponding to the distance between the control device and the datum, is provided in response to the first and second time periods and a stored target distance, such target distance corresponding to the distance between the control device and the target. The grade control device includes an operator actuable control for modifying the stored target distance to calibrate the control device. A reference signal is compared to the distance indicating signal to provide a control signal. The reference signal is adjustable by a predetermined increment and the control device includes an operator actuable control for modifying the predetermined increment.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for popping high yield popcorn using a bag having a substantially rectangular cross section as manufactured using a conventional bag machine. A base supports the bag on edge with at least one joining panel being inclined such as, for example, at 45.degree.. Whether the bag is initially unfolded or unfolds as a result of internal pressure caused by some kernels popping, a horizontal elongated V-shaped trough is formed as the lower-most region of the bag due to the supporting orientation of the base. Kernels form in a clump in the nadir of the trough thereby enhancing the yield of the popping, and kernels disturbed from the clump by popping kernels are directed back to the clump by the inclined walls of the bag.

Abstract: A clothes dryer door assembly adapted for mounting in alternate positions so that the door assembly can be made to open from either side. The door assembly includes an outer panel to which a handle, latching mechanism, and hinges are mounted, and inner liner having a bowed out lower portion forming an internal chamber through which air is exhausted to a lint filter. In reversing the mounting side, the inner liner is first disconnected from the door panel and then reconnected after the door panel has been inverted. Thus, the hinges, handle, and latching mechanism of the door panel are relocated for mounting to the opposite side of the access opening of the dryer cabinet, but the lower portion of the liner remains on the bottom.

Abstract: The method of bending relatively thin wall tubing to form a tubular heat exchanger that has relatively tight bends with controlled wrinkles. For example, 1.75-inch outer diameter stainless steel tube may have a wall thickness of 0.035 inches and be bent using a controlled-wrinkle bend die to a 180.degree. bend having a centerline radius of 2.5 inches.

Abstract: A subscriber line interface circuit that provides regulated current to telephone subscribers in an improved manner reducing the amount of power required to operate while maintaining a constant current source. The current to the telephone subscribers flows through a switching transistor, an inductive storage element, sensing resistors and a transformer. The desired operating characteristic is obtained by cycling the switching transistor. The switching transistor is cycled on at a preset interval causing the telephone subscriber current to flow from the switching transistor. The switching transistor is cycled off in response to an increase in the telephone subscriber current as sensed by the sensing resistors thereby causing the current to flow from the inductive storage element.

Abstract: A washing machine includes a mid-level pivot and traverse suspension arrangement and a modular assembly. A support having a central aperture is spaced from the washing machine base by a plurality of upstanding legs. The modular assembly, including a drain tub, a drive shaft, and a transmission, is disposed on the support with the drive shaft and the transmission extending through the central aperture of the support. The modular assembly is a disengageable intact from the support with the transmission and the drive shaft passing through the central aperture of the support.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reporting faults on a control line running through a plurality of processors to a control processor. Each processor having a failure provides a unique address onto the control line. The addresses are then sequentially shifted through each of the processors having a failure to the control processor.

Abstract: A washing machine having a mid-level pivot and traverse suspension system. The washing machine includes a tub assembly disposed over a support, with the assembly having a center of mass disposed at approximately the same axial position as the typical out-of-balance load. The pivoting force is a function of the distance between the center of mass of the tub assembly and the out-of-balance load. Thus, the pivoting forces are reduced, as well as the corresponding reaction forces transferred to the floor.

Abstract: A clothes dryer door assembly adapted for mounting in alternate positions so that the door assembly can be made to open from either side. The door assembly includes an outer panel to which a handle, latching mechanism, and hinges are mounted, and inner liner having a bowed out lower portion forming an internal chamber through which air is exhausted to a lint filter. In reversing the mounting side, the inner liner is first disconnected from the door panel and then reconnected after the door panel has been inverted. Thus, the hinges, handle, and latching mechanism of the door panel are relocated for mounting to the opposite side of the access opening of the dryer cabinet, but the lower portion of the liner remains on the bottom.

Abstract: A retainer sleeve having a cylindrically curved wall of resilient material spaced radially from its longitudinal centerline for defining a tapered leading end portion, a midportion and an opposing trailing end portion of the sleeve. The defining wall has extended through its thickness a longitudinally coextensive first opening with an open end portion in the trailing end portion of the sleeve disposed in opposing relationship with a hinge portion of the wall. The hinge portion terminates in a closed end of a longitudinal second opening in the wall having an opposing open end portion disposed in diametric opposing relationship with an opposing open end portion of the first opening in the leading end portion of the sleeve. Thus, the first and second openings form therebetween first and second opposing flexible legs which have in the midportion of the sleeve respective proximal end portions.

Abstract: A suspension system for an automatic washing machine wherein multiple independent modes of motion are provided, and the springs biasing the respective modes are selected so that the critical frequencies (i.e. maximum excursions) of the modes do not occur simultaneously. For example, a first set of centering springs biases a traversing motion and a second set of upstanding springs biases a pivoting motion. The spring rates are selected so that as the spin tub accelerates, the maximum excursion of one of the modes occurs first followed by the maximum excursion of the other mode at a higher spin tub speed.

Abstract: A vertical sliding door for a compartment within the main door of a refrigerator. A frame is positioned adjacent the front of the door liner and has opposing vertical U-shaped channels. The sliding door includes a cover portion having laterally extending vertical runners that are slidably engaged in the respective channels. Each of the runners has a pair of notches into which glide members are snapped. Each of the glide member has a mid portion boss that extends laterally beyond the runner edge to provide a smooth bearing surface for engagement with the U-shaped channel. In the open position, at least one of the glide member bosses is received in a detent to hold the compartment door open.

Abstract: An interlock device having a slip resistant feature. A strip conductor is disposed in a dielectric housing and is electrically connected to a tip terminal plug. The strip conductor has an angled end distal from the tip terminal plug. A spring clamp is disposed in the dielectric housing and is pivotally coupled thereto. The angled end of the strip conductor and the spring clamp are adapted for clamping a conductor wire therebetween. The spring clamp exerts pressure on the conductor wire to maintain it in a fixed position and in contact with the strip conductor and the tip terminal plug.

Abstract: A high efficiency furnace having a substantially continuous wet heat exchanger wherein such continuous wet operation is provided by raising the dew point of the combustion products by submerged combustion before introduction into said head exchanger. That is, a water holding reservoir is provided between the burner and the heat exchanger, and condensate flows from the heat exchanger back into the reservoir. The combustion products are drawn through the water in the reservoir by providing a partition having a submerged lower portion, and providing a pressure differential between the chambers on the two sides of the partition. The submerged passageway from one chamber to the other may preferably be a serrated bottom edge on the partition or a plurality of apertures in the partition. The pressure differential may be provided by using a combustion blower or alternatively, using an induced draft blower preferably disposed at the flue end of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: An air flow control for a multi-port refrigerator duct that conveys cold air from the evaporator chamber to a plurality of storage chambers within the fresh food compartment. The duct has a baffle providing individual branches for each storage chamber such that each is substantially coupled directly to the evaporator chamber so that a change in air flow in one branch does not significantly affect the flow in the opposite branch. A manually operated control is mounted within the fresh food compartment and has a face plate with a vent aligned with a liner input aperture communicating with the duct. A shutter disc is captured between the face plate and the liner, and has a tear drop opening. Rotation of the shutter disc alters the location of the tear drop opening and, thus the size of the passageway through the air flow control.

Abstract: A radar system that enhances the display of moving targets by using negative scan-to-scan correlation to determine which pixels will be displayed at the brightest level. More specifically, a bit image stores a multi-bit scan-to-scan correlated history for each pixel on a display screen, and when new video data is received on a scan, the bit image memory is modified in accordance therewith. A pixel is enhanced to the brightest level only if a return is received from a spacial location from which returns were not received on previous scans. Thus, a target that moves to a new location is displayed at the brightest level because it doesn't correlate with returns from prior scans.

Abstract: A method for repairing voids such as potholes in asphalt pavement by mixing a lossy microwave material in the tack used for the tack layer. The asphalt patch used to fill the pothole is relatively non-lossy so that a substantial portion of microwave energy applied to the upper surface penetrates through the asphalt patch and is absorbed in the tack layer. The heating of the tack layer is enhanced to improve the interface bond between the asphalt patch and the surface of the pothole.

Abstract: Refrigerator duct apparatus adapted for conveying cold air from the evaporator chamber within the freezer liner to a intermediate temperature storage chamber within the fresh food liner. The duct is coupled to an outlet aperture in the freezer liner using and adjustable joint that permits motion of the duct for alignment of the outlet port of the duct to an inlet aperture in the fresh food liner. Specifically, the inlet port of the duct has a mating flange with ears that are insertable through the outlet aperture in the fresh food liner in a predetermined rotational orientation. After insertion, the duct is rotated so that the ears engage peripheral portions of the outlet aperture. A dimension of the outlet aperture is larger than a corresponding dimension of the mating flange to permit the duct to be moved back and forth while the ears remain in sliding engagement on the peripheral portions to align the duct outlet port to the inlet aperture of the fresh food liner.